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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24090361">Awoken</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:28:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>563</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24090361</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aerith told them they were strong. Reeve needs her to get him through the nights, to wake.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aerith Gainsborough &amp; Reeve Tuesti, Aerith Gainsborough/Reeve Tuesti</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Awoken</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p></p><div class=""><p> </p>
<p></p><div class=""><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote><p>
        <em>“Reeve…”</em>
      </p><p>
        <em>“Reeve… It’s time for you to wake.”</em>
      </p><p>
        <em>“Wake up.”</em>
      </p><p>
        <em>“Just… wake up.”</em>
      </p></blockquote><p>Reeve gasps as he jolts upright, quickly folding in on himself as he covers his face with his palm. There is wetness between his fingers, his other hand fists tight into the sheets. He can still smell the scent of flowers. Still feel the warmth on his face, sweet breath upon his cheek.  </p><p>But the room is cold, and has been like this for so many years. Dark shapes are barely discernible, an order he had established as he opens his eyes. There is a dresser here, a chair there, all covered in a murky darkness; indistinct and <em>lifeless</em>.</p><p>He can still hear her telling him to be strong.</p><p>Hear her telling him to… <em>just wake up</em>.</p><p>“What do you want from me?” Reeve whispers into the night. “What is it that I need to <em>do</em>?” He is getting so much older now. With the past few years have come greater opportunities, but they in turn have bought greater responsibilities.</p><p>There have been shared hardships, his dreams are testament alone to that. But Reeve <em>always</em> gets up from the bed to the dresser. He always turns on the light and finds his clothes. He always goes to the bathroom and performs his daily ablutions. He always makes himself a fresh coffee and returns to the office.</p><p>By this point her voice is just a faint memory once more, but he is reminded of her in the laughter of a child from far outside the window, in the way the sun can actually be seen breaking through the grey skies. He is reminded of her when they talk to Cloud, he can see her in his azure eyes.</p><p>Reeve was never meant for any of this. He was a spy, a charlatan in cat’s clothing. He was no hero. Yet still, yet still…</p><p><em>She told me to be</em> <em> strong.</em></p><p>And every time he sleeps, her voice is telling him to… <em>just wake up</em>.</p><p>Reeve is a foolish man and Cait Sith mayhaps just a sophisticated toy. But there is her voice again, strong within him: <em>It’s time for you to wake. </em></p><p>There are four walls around him, they are closing in now, he can feel them crushing this body, limbs twisting bent out of shape.</p><p>One heartbeat thunders between them, a burst of life; <em>vast</em> <em>unending existence</em>.</p><p>And he can hear her voice. </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote><p>
        <em>Reeve…</em>
      </p><p>
        <em>Reeve… it’s time for you to wake.</em>
      </p><p>
        <em>Wake up.</em>
      </p><p>
        <em>Just… wake up.</em>
      </p></blockquote><p>Reeve wakes at his desk. He knows what it is he needs to do. Cait Sith Mark Two has already carried Tseng into familiar arms. He will survive, and they will soon re-join the party.</p><p>Reeve wakes in his bed. There are tears in his eyes.</p><p>The same shapes; the chair, the dresser are shuffled in a slightly different order. He asks what he should do, whispers into the night, but he knows what must be done. She is telling him so. She always has.</p><p>She told me to be strong. She told me to wake up.</p><p>Reeve always gets out of bed.</p><p>The shapes are not actually so lifeless, each being distinct and vibrant and beautiful. Cait Sith stirs in the corner to smile back at him.</p><p>And every moment he is reminded of her he says a silent prayer.</p><p>
      <em>Thank you, Aerith Gainsborough.</em>
    </p></div></div>
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